Planouraph co



H. A. B.ULLARD.

CENTRIFUGAL GUN. APPLICATION men AucmI 1915.

Patented July 29, 1919.

5 SHEETSSHEET l.

v INVENTOR %f H. A. BULLARD.

CENTRIFUGAL GUN. Y APPLICATION FILED AUG..'), 1916. 1,3 1 1 ,492. Patented July 29, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2- fl/ wwy %& ATTORNEY H. A. BULLARD., CENTRIFUGAL sum.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.5.1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

bl w W Patented July 29, 1919.

BY ig/ATTORNEY H. A.,BULLARD.

CENTRIFUGAL GUN.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.5, 1916.

. Patented July 29, 1919.

' 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- lWi/ N BY & l-s PH UNf E siAfrrn iPA HEBIBERT A. BULIiARD, OFSAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO INTERCON'II NENTAL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

,' 1 cnn'rnrrucar. GUN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 29, .1919;

Application filed August 5. 1916. Serial'No. 113345.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT -A. BULLARD, a citizen of the United States, residing in San Francisco, California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inv Centrifugal Guns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention aims to provide certain improvements in guns of this sort and in pro- Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a plan and a vertical section of the magazine;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of the barrel plate or projecting device with the feeding device or firing plate in. plan;

Figs. 7 and 8 are sections plate on the COI'I'QSPOIldlIlg lines in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of an assemblage of disks cemented together;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of a similaras- I sembla-ge of disks fastened together. by a rotating proj central wire;

Fig. 11 is an elevatlon of a similar assemblage of disks carried in a casing which is shown in section;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of a variant of the disks shown in the other figures.

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of a magazine latch;

Figs. 14 and 15 are plans of projectiles arranged in a continuous strip;

Fig. 16 is a centralvertical section. of a modified style of gun embodying the invention.

The gun is designed to take a projectile in the form of a disk and to project it at a high velocity, rapidly about its axis, which is arranged in a generally vertical position. The spinning produces a: gyroscopic' effect which maintains the disk in its plane throughout a long (tight. The projectiles are placed in a magazinc from the bottom of which they are taken one by oneand fed into a rapidly ecting member b 1 provided with arre S of the barrel at the same time spinning it The feeding member or device mayoperate once as each barrel makes a complete r0 tation so that the number of feeding operations per second will equal the number of rotations of the projecting member multipl1ed by the numberof barrels carried therecomes less reliable. Where there is one feedmg operation for each rotation of a. barrel, therefore, the limit on the feed puts a corresponding limit on the rate of rotation of the and more compact gun.

Referring now to the embodiments of the invention illustrated, the projecting mem 'ber indicated'as a whole at A is formed of a single integral piece of steel, but it may be laminated or otherwise made of more than a single piece. Forperfect balance it is provided with two (or it may be more than two) barrels B each having a concave lateral open groove C on its forward side to accommodate a projectile D. The center of the projecting member is formed with a circular opening to receive the firing plate or feeding plate E (Fig. 6). tion of the projecting member is also provided with a groove partly of uniform width as shown at F (Fig. 7 and partly tapered as shown at G, the latter portion communicating with thebore or groove C of the barrel. As the projecting member or barrel plate rotates a projectile is forced outward by the firing plate at a rate calculated to carry it into the groove C of the barrel at the inner end H thereof. The projectile rolls on the rear face of the groove C so as to be spun rapidly and is finallythrown from the muzzle or. end of this groove. at a high linear speedandwith a high spinning rota- There is a limit to the speed of the feeding device, however, beyond which it be H of advanlnventlon is in the rota n a projectlng memberof smaller diameter and a lighter The central por- --p:rojectiles are thrown" from theendof the barrel B.

The magazine comprises avertical tube M, the lower end of which, in firing posltion,

extends down to or nearly to the feeding or ifiringplaterE. The bottom and'the lower portion of the sides of .thel nagazine. are slotted as shown in Figs. {3, 4 and 5. The plate E carries upward projections N whole,

as theplate rotates, pass through..the,slots in the bottom of'the magazineandforce out the lowermost oneof the projectilesD therein. Just beyondmthe position. of .themagaasabove explained.

. barrel plate.

,zine there isa p ;0 provided on .itsunderside with downward ribs ;-P between .which'. the upwardribs N.

and connected 'tial fixed, guiding platelor. block on' the firing plate E' pass,:asshown in Fig. 6. As theffiring plate and theribs or lugs N advance they. force theprojectile .D. forward againstthe ribs P on the guiding plate andcam the projectile approximately radially outward into. the groove C ofthebarrel The guiding. block-.0 and the: magazine Mare both mounted: in a plate or block Q (Fig; 3) rabbeted. on its upper edgeand on which is fastened aplate R which overhangs so as t form a V roove into whichenters a fastening platethe upper plate J of the fixed'casing and provided with handlesT- sothat, when. unscrewed, it can be liftedwith the magazine 'partsland removed to a place ofsafety, thus putting the gun out'of use.

The. lower plate K of thefixed-casing: is provided with awtubular portion. U inclosing certain gearing.hereinafter referred to, to which tubularportion isattached a bottonr plate .V. through .which passes the driving,

shaft W. The fixed'casing is mounted in anysuitablesupport such forexamplexas that indicated. at 'X,. in. Fig.:2,( carrying a motor Y for driving the shaft. The shaft W has a reduced .uppenportion WCon which is rotatably mounted a hub Z whichis keyed to a base plate 2 fastened as by boltsS tothe The upper end of the shaft is still further the feeding directly.

In order to rotate the barrel plate at a higher rate of speed it is driven. from the shaft WV. A spider 4 keyed-on the lower. portion of the shaft carries differenpinions 5 which engage teeth on. the lower portionof the hub or .centralgear Z and which also engage the internal teeth of plate E so as to rotate thelatter The upper portion of the hub Z being. fastened tothe barrel; plate, the latter will roof the feeding -is if the feeding plate rotate once for each single -barrel be used some such- .in. the. illustration the V jectile fed.

bearings for. securingfagreater or less reduced as atNV and carrles leaves the muzzle.

tate at arate faster than that of the shaft ratio of the gearing.

If the rotation of the firing plate and that plate be commensurate, that one, two, three or more complete rotations of the firing plate, the projectiles will be fed always to the same barrel. And a commensurate ratio willv be necessary. But it is preferable, in order to secure a perfectly balanced barrel plate to have two or more barrels; even then .we may use the commensurate rates of revolutlon, u slng a single barrel until it is"wornjoutfand may then adjust the parts to use another barrel. But

it is preferably. to set the machine to use first one barrel and then another so that they shall all be used equally and shall wear out .at the same time. I-have, therefore, adopted a gearing which will 'bringdifferent barrels I into-operation successively. For example, internal gear'6 has its pitch line twoanda half times the length of that of the external gear Z. This will give a-speed of rotation of the, gear Z and the barrelplate threeanda half timesv that of the shaft and thefeeding plate. Thus,

.for eachoperation there will be a movement of the barrel plate relative to the feeding plate equal to three and ahalf.revolutions, screwing ,onto the hub of and this will bring the opposite barrel into operative position-to receive the next pro- The two barrels will, therefore, operate alternatelyandwill wear equally. Any numberof revolutions plus a halfwill secure this result where the projecting member has two barrels. The rate of feedand the muzzle velocity/being determined, the projecting member or barrel plate may be of any desired .diameter by correspondingly designing the gearing. .F or a gun having three barrels the relative; speeds would be any whole number plus or minus one-third, for a gun having four barrels it would be any .whole number plus or minus one-f0urth, and so on.

iThe entire gun may bemounted'in any suitable arrangement vof trunnions or other elevationand for aiming to right or.left. But we preferfor aiming to the right or to the deft, the casing being fixed,: to vary the angular position of the barrel with respect to at the time a projectile his result is secured by varyingthe angular-position ofthe barrel at the time .When the projectile is received..at .-its inner end, the point H in. Fig. 6. This involves a similar adjustment of the angular firing plate, since there is always the same inter-valof time between the ejecting of a projectile out of the magazine'and the receivposition of the V ing ofit on the inner Y and afterward clamped again.

"and at their outer .a shaft 15 on which is a in a casing 17 in which is rotatably carried =tated by a handle 19.

the internal gear 1 arms are unclamped, however, and are r0 tated around the "casing the internal gear 6 'is'turned with them. tral shaft and the feeding plateE fixed, the adjustment 'of H be adjusted the groove G,

means of an arm clamped the aim is fixed.

end of the barrel. To fire more to the right the barrels therefore must be farther back than the position shown in Fig. 1 when they receive the projectile. The projectile is fed outward in a Substantially radial direction by reason of the guides P. The adjustment for aim will always be so slight that the projectile D will be ejected from the magazine at a point more or less to the rear of the radial line through the point H. If, however, the point to the left or forward say one millimeter the projectile D will be fedat a slightly delayed-point and will be thrown out into the projecting barrel C one milli- -meter later in the revolution of the barrel.

With the two-barrel plate illustrated the rojectile will be fired from the barrel opposits that toward which it is firstfed into but the principle is the same whether oneor morebarrels be used.

The aiming adjustment is efiected by r1 7 on a ring 8, the ring 'carrying a forward sight 9 and the arm a rear sig t 10. The ring 8 is ordinarily clamped to the fixed block 2 by means of a'bolt 11 having ahandle 1 2, the bolt passing through a slot 13 in the ring 8. When the bolt is When the aim is first unclamped The arm 7 above the casing is connected at its outer end to a parallel arm 14 below the casing ends these two arms carry pinion 16 mounted to be'changed the parts are the pinion 16 and ro- The pinion 16 also engages teeth 20 formed in the ring L and constituting a rack, so that as the handle 19 is turned the arms 7 and 14 are carried around the casing slowly. The. arm 14. passes through a slot in the U of the fixed casing and 'is fastened as" shown in Fig. 3 to the internal gear 6. When the aiming arms 7 and 14 are clamped fast 6 is fixed When these a worm 18. engaging Supposing the centhe internal gear to the rlght causes a movement of the hub Z and the barupright res end of whichbears on When the motor ism rel plate to the left.

when the gun is firing the same ad ustment of the aim may be made and there Wlll be the same relative movement of the barrel plate to the magazine and feeding plate. W

The magazine M is trunnioned as shown in'Figs..1'and 2 in an arm 21 pivoted to an on the plate It and carrying atits end. a button "22 and at an intermediate point an adjustable stop pin 23,' the lower the ring" 8. The plate give sufficient time feed of the projectiles through the magatubular portion material between each two disks.

10" the disks are perforated and strung on a or block Q is shaped'as shown in Fig. 5 with a depending portion embracing the magazine and formed with slots 2 1 into which enter springs 25 fastened to the magazine and tending to lift it clear of the firing position. Springs 26, which constitute preferably extensions of the springs 25, pass throughthe wall of the magazine and catch and hold the lowest projectile in its advanced position against any upward tend ency due to the vibration of the machine or to the striking of the lowest disk by the feeding device. These springs, however, are so light that the weight of a fewproj ctiles will be suflicient to cause them to-yield and permit the lowest projectile to passbelow the end of the springs and on to the bottom of the magazine. The springs 25 are sufficiently strong to that the projections N of the feed plate will pass below it. When the machine is speeded up and firing is to be commenced the operator has simply to press the button 22,'thus forcing the magazine down, to operative position. When the foremostprojectile is fired an appreciable interval will be required for the feeding of the next by gravity past the re taining springs 26. The projecting member, however, may make several revolutions before the projections N on the feed plate will again come into action, and this will for a comparatively slow zine. The feed may be assisted, if desired, by placing a weight on top of the projectiles in the magazine, such as 'is indicated at 27 (Fig. 2), with a head 28 which will strike the top of the magazine and so stop the movement of the weight when the last projectile has been forced to the firing point, or any equivalent spring arrangement may be used'to assist the feed. To avoid the ne- Qessity of the operators holding the button 22 alatch 29 (Fig.13) is mounted on the plate R and arranged to engage the side ofthe lever 21 so as to hold the latter down after it has been pressed down by the button 22. To stop firing the operator has only to release the. latch 29, whereupon the the latch 29 a'ndhelddown.

For greater convenience and speed in handling the projectiles I prefer to assembleia number of them and unite them by a breakable connection. Examples of such assemblages of disks iareillustrated in Figs. 9, 10. and 11.." The dlsks are arranged face to .face in. a stack of any desired number.

In Fig. arts are united by an extremely thin layer of parafiin or other adhesive cementing In Fig.

hold upthe magazine so to break off the end.

Fig. 16 which permits 5O pin or-wire 30 of lead, solder or thelike. 'In Fig. 11v theyareembraced and held together by a casingor jacket 31 ;of cardboard, paper or the like. The blow of the, feeding device is sufficient in each case to separate the lowest projectilefrom those above it.

moving along an axial line-as indicated, or whether they are assembled edge to edge -and :passed along in 1 an edgewise'direction. In .same advantageswould be 7 vancing themxin: the form 15" the-latter case the secured by adof a continuous strip 1 from' which the -disks Lare out or punched in succession and moved to position for engagement by the feeding plate as described. Two such strips are shown in Figs. 14 and 15 respectively. In Fig. 14 the disks D are cut out around .nearly their entire circumference, leaving only a small connecting pieceof metal, anda slight blow is sufficient disks. In Fig 15 the disks D, indicated in udotted 3 lines, are punched in'succession from a'straight-edged strip of metal. i

'The edges of the projectile may be knurled 'or serrated so.- as' to securea better grip against therear face of thegroove of the barrel so as to secure a better spinning effeet. A similar result may be achieved by makingv the disks of soft metal' on their 'edges' (or throughouttheir extent). The

barrel will preferably be of .hardened'steel,

which will take a ood grip on the soft edges of such disks. This combination of a hard barrel and-a soft-edged disk hasalso the advantage of reducing the wear on the bar-rel and increasing its life. An increased gyroscopic effect may be obtained :by disposing the greater quantity of -metal in the disk near its outeredge,

where the disk D is shown with a comparatively thin central portion 32, :which'may be perforated at perforate, tion 33.

An alternative arrangement. is shown in the removal of the feeding plate'with' the magazine. ;'In this case the barrel plate A constitutes or. is mounted on the upperend of the driving shaft W. A second shaft 34 carries a pin35, the ends of whichengageslots 36 in the hub of the barrel plate; so that the shaft 34 is rotated with such hub but may be lifted out of engagement therewith. 'The shaft34carries a central pinion 37 engaging planetary pinions 38 carried on pins 39 which connect the feeding plate E with a shell 40. The shell 40 has a rotative. engagement with a tube 41 fastened tothe fixed guide block 0', the tube 41'having at its lower end an internal gear 42 in engagement-with the planthe center or may. be-imand with a thickened rim por- 'etary pin-ions'38. Now asthe-barrel plate A block 0 but also the barrels.

restricted to the embodiments mg, member and :movable relatively to the. other;

ing member, a feeding memberja orto inoperative position, "it in operatlve; position and asprmg pressand small shaft 34 are rotated,1the external rate. :When the plate "N 4 is unscrewed and lifted by aneans of the 5 handles. T ;1lt will carry not only the magazine ",Mr- ZLIlClS'; guide the feedrplate and the planetary gearing, thelowerend of the shaft 34 lifting freely outof'engagement with the hub of the barrel; plate. "For aiming with this construction it is -'on=ly-necessary?-to swingthe arm 7 to theright or to the left by means of the handle thereon. This willgturn "the fixed block Qzcllld; themagazine relative- "to the feedingand projecting plates: and will thus cause the projectile to be fed and'projected earlier ornlater inthe'revolution of ;Thougli 1% have described with great pant cularityof'detailcertain specific embodiaments of-my invention'yet-it is notst'o be invention is illustrated. Various modifications thereof in detail and understood therefrom that the 1nv .thearrangement'of the parts may be 1 made by those skilled inthe art zwithout. de-

parting from. the invention.

What-Iclaim is U r 1. A centrifugal gun for firing disk shaped projectiles and giving them ;a s inr'nng motion comprising arotating, project- 'a-rotating feeding member, the projecting member having'a plurality of barrels and rotating faster than the feed-. ing member and at a rate to-bring different barrels into operation successively.

2. A centrifugal gun for lfiring diskshaped projectiles and giving them a spinning motion comprising a: rotating project ingmemberga Efeeding member, a magazine as for example in Fig. 12

carrying anumberof projectiles,

said magazine aand the feedmg member being one 3. A centrifugal gun for *firing diskshaped projectiles and giving them a spinning motion comprising a rotating projecting'member, a feeding member, axmagazine carrymga number of. projectiles and movable to operatlve position for engagement of,

thepro ectiles bywsaid feeding: member or to inoperative position and means for-holdmg it toward inoperative po iti trifugal; :gun

:for firing I ask--- shaped projectiles and giving them a spinning motion comprising a rotating projecting member, a feeding member, a magazine carrying a number of projectiles and movable to operative position for engagement of the projectiles by said feeding member or to inoperative position and means for engaging the most advanced projectile in the magazine-and holding it against backward movement.

6. A centrifugal ning motion comprising a rotating projecting member and a rotating feeding member, the projecting member rotating faster than the feeding member and means for adjusting the aim of the gun by turning the projecting member and the feeding member through distances Which are in the ratio of their speeds of operation.

7 A centrifugal gun for firing diskshaped projectiles and giving them a spinning motion comprising a rotating projecting member of comparatively hard metal in Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the gun for firing diskshaped projectiles and giving them a spincombination With disks of comparatively soft metal adapted to be spun and projected by the engagement of said member with the edges of the disks.

8. A centrifugal gun for firing diskshaped projectiles and giving them a spinning motion including a one-piece barrel plate having a laterally open firing groove.

9. A centrifugal gun for firing diskshaped projectiles and giving them a spinning motion including a one-piece barrel plate having a laterally open firing groove in one side edge and having a central annular groove for receiving a projectile and guidin it into said firing groove.

10. centrifugal gun for firing diskshaped projectiles and giving them a spinning motion including a rotating barrel plate, a rotating feeding plate for feeding projectiles and a fixed guiding plate for guiding such projectiles t0 the barrel plate.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

HERBERT A. BULLARD.

Washington, .D. 0:

Commissioner of Patents, 

